Translation guide
Expressing that something is inexpensive, affordable, or cheap in Japanese, with attention to nuance and natural phrasing.
Describing a product, service, or item that does not cost much money.
The most common and neutral word for 'cheap' or 'inexpensive'. Can be used for goods, services, and prices.
This store is cheap.
Do you have a cheaper one?
Literally 'low price'. More formal and often used in business or product descriptions.
We offer high-quality products at low prices.
Emphasizes a bargain or exceptionally low price. Common in advertising.
I'm looking for a bargain airfare.
A somewhat formal or literary term for 'low price', often seen in product labels or older texts.
A low-cost version of the software was released.
Indicating that the price is within one's budget or fair for the value.
Means 'reasonable' or 'affordable', implying the price is suitable for the quality or one's budget.
Please tell me a reasonably priced restaurant.
Polite version of 'affordable price', often used in marketing.
Loanword from English 'reasonable', commonly used in casual conversation and advertising.
Describing something designed to be cheap, such as a low-cost airline or low-cost option.
Expressing that something is cheap in a negative sense, i.e., of poor quality.
Means 'cheap-looking' or 'tacky', implying low quality. Avoid using 安い when you mean poor quality.
安い is neutral; use 安っぽい for negative connotation.
This bag looks cheap.
Loanword from English 'cheap', often used for style or quality, similar to 安っぽい.
Those clothes are a bit cheap, aren't they?
安い simply means 'inexpensive' and is neutral. 安っぽい means 'cheap' in a negative sense (poor quality, tacky). Be careful not to offend by using the wrong one.
This store is cheap, but the quality is good.
This store is full of cheap-looking clothes.
We offer it at an affordable price.
This cafe is reasonable, so I come here often.